‘Like To Tie Him Down’ Lennon Wants Celtic Ace To Sign A New Deal: Should The Manager Get This Done?

Neil Lennon, manager of Celtic looks on ahead of the Ladbrokes Premiership match between Celtic and Ross County at Celtic Park on January 25, 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Celtic are in the driver’s seat to win their ninth league title in a row. The break-in football though will give them much more time to think about the future and possible transfers. One player who is likely to be in the limelight in the transfer window is Odsonne Edouard.

The French star was in breathtaking form before the football season came to a halt. Edouard has already attracted interest from some of the top clubs in the Premier League. Lennon recently went on to reveal that the break-in football has changed the landscape a bit in terms of possible future transfers. The manager also wants the striker to extend his stay at Parkhead.

Lennon talks about Edouard’s future

Lennon recently said (Daily Record), “Ideally we’d like to sit down with him [Edouard]. The landscape has changed from where we were a month ago to now. There’s no doubt about that. It’s uncertain. Ideally, you would like to keep your prized assets for at least another year anyway.”

“If the market galvanises itself again, you could look at it then. There’s no question there’s going to be interest in him, but, ideally, we’d like to tie him down to another year on top of what he has already and keep him here.”

Edouard has his contract until 2022. Lennon clearly mentioned that the Hoops are looking to get him on a new deal, but it remains to be seen whether the striker would commit to it or not.

Odsonne Edouard of Celtic reacts during the Ladbrokes Premiership match between Celtic and Ross County at Celtic Park on January 25, 2020, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Why does Lennon need to get him on a new deal?

The 22-year-old has often maintained that he is happy at Celtic. However, it cannot be ignored that top clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have the muscle to lure the French forward. With these Premier League clubs requiring a striker, Edouard could be a hot item in the summer.

Edouard signing an extension might not ensure his stay staying at Parkhead for long. However, that will keep Lennon and Co in an excellent position to negotiate the best possible price for him from prospective buyers. Quite a few reports have mentioned that Edouard is being valued at £30m and Celtic will look to get that figure up as much as possible.

It remains to be seen when the transfer window would start given the uncertainty lying around in the football world. It will be a significant win for Lennon if he manages to get Edouard on a new contract and that will undoubtedly be the right thing to do from Celtic’s point of view. However, it is tough to gauge what Edouard would demand especially when he is aware that a move to the Premier League is in the offing after his terrific display this campaign.

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